The end of an eight-year drought in eastern Australia improved the quality of its oranges in Market Year 2010-11 and is likely to boost production for MY 2011-12, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual citrus report.

Steady rain since December 2009 caused production estimates for oranges in MY 2011-12 (which begins in April 2011) to be revised up to 430,000 metric tons, with yield per tree expected to increase dramatically, the report said.

But before the rain came late last year, the drought caused early fruit drop for the MY 2010-11 (which began in April 2010) crop, leading to final estimates being reduced to 380,000 MT from 440,000MT. Unusually large fruit, some too big for foreign markets, also diminished exports, the report said.

Export estimates for MY 2011-12 have been revised up to 120,000 MT. Exports for MY 2010-11 have been revised down to 96,000 MT from 130,000 MT.

The report noted that growers and exporters are concerned that the strong Australian dollar, which briefly reached parity with the U.S. dollar, will constrain profits and lead to less fruit being shipped overseas. The U.S. received 10% of Australia’s orange exports in 2009-10, the report said.

Photo: wikipedia.org

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com